Missing chimney breast in the downstairs flat

[Kitane]

Apologies if I'm being silly, I'm a FTB and it has taken me 3 years of searching to find a flat in my budget that I love, and I'm now in the process of purchasing it. It's on the top floor of a converted Victorian property. One of its 'features' is a partially demolished chimney stack in the corner of the property (it's causing water penetration issues to the ceiling in one of the rooms, but that's a whole other story).

The other day I was looking at pictures of other flats in the building and noticed that the downstairs neighbours seem to have a bit more space in the room directly below mine, in the corner where the chimney breast is supposed to be. It is their bathroom and somehow they managed to fit a sink on that wall. I attach the pictures (apologies for the awful quality). For reference, our windows are aligned, mine is directly above theirs.

Is it likely that they removed the chimney breast leaving my flat unsupported, or am I panicking unnecessarily? 

 

[jayc89]

If it's been removed below you, it should have been supported, historically using gallows brackets, but if done more recently with a length of steel.

 

Presumably if done between flats the Party Wall Act would have also come into play, so there should be a paper trail which your conveyancing solicitor should be able to assist you with. 

[twice round the block]

Is the chimney stack on the roof above your flat??

Have you got a photo of it?

[saveasteading]

4 hours ago, jayc89 said:

it should have been supported,

Sorry to worry you. But a daughter had a house where the chimney had been removed completely in the rooms but remained in the loft and above. It was not supported in any way other then some bits of wood stuck in gaps in the loft. It had hung on there for many years by the look of it.

I had not spotted this before purchase and neither had the surveyor. 

 

It hung on simply through the ability of brickwork to cantilever.  If the house next door, sharing the chimney stack,  did the same then i would likely be disastrous.

we built in gallows brackets an all was well.

 

So first look more at where chimneys come out of the roof, and neighboring properties if they are the same model, and talk to the neighbours alongside and below.

 

If you think there has been a chimney removed then don't despair. 1. you haven't committed yet. 2 It may have been removed properly.

 

Doing it properly involves building inspector approval and inspection. Perhaps they can advise.

Doing it retrospectively will make a right mess of downstairs, but it is they, or their predecessors who have caused it.

 

Nobody wants the building collapsing, so do not be shy in asking around. If there is a surveyor involved yet, make sure they know your concern.  Ask the agent too...they will duck it but it will be on the record.

 

Well done for spotting it. Lets hope it isn't a problem.

 

[Kitane]

Thanks All for your replies, I will contact my surveyor. The chimney stack is above my room and partially demolished. I think a lot of properties of similar design in the area no longer have them. Picture attached...

[ProDave]

How do you know the chimney does not continue to the lower flat?  It looks to me that where the basin is in the lower flat could well be the stack in the corner and boxed out to make a flat wall across to the window for the basin.

 

You will never know without an invasive survey downstairs.

 

If this is all that worries you, forget about it.

[saveasteading]

1 hour ago, ProDave said:

could well be the stack in the corner

Terraced Victorian houses were generally built with regular rooms and one chimney stack serving 2 houses. It is unlikely to be a convoluted stack with different room arrangements. 

Could well be OK, is a big assumption.